The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-10-20
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
Some Points and Incidents Regarding the
Trade In Them.

Some Points and Incidents Regarding the
Trade In Them.
II wouldn't exactly say remarked
a manufacturer, .'that people can get
along as well with artificial limbs -
they can with artificial teeth, but the
art of industry is fast approaching that
stage of perfection. Men and women
can eat and drink, play the violin,
write. and do various kinds Of light
work with artificial arms aud hands,
and they can dance, skate and run
with artificial legs.
1.-The proportion OF those whose mis-
fortunes require the use of artificial
limbs is about one in $4,000 of the pop
ulation. Of these. from twenty-five to
thirty per cent. are women. Of the
limbs lost, the legs are in the large ma
jority-about seventy-iive per cent.
"a great many are under the impress
sion that the war made most Of the
cripples now living. The fact is that
for one person who lost limb in the
war, twenty to twenty-fonr lost theirs
through some accident on the railways.
or i'll some other manner entirely dis
connected from warfare. The railroad
is the great source Of our business,
probably one-half the cases that come
to US being attributable to railway &C.
cidents.''
Il suppose" said the reporter, ''tha,
you mees with some queer incidents in
the course Of your business?'
'.Ycs, remember customer coming
to me not long ago for his second arti
fetal leg. He had worn the first for Q
number Of years. He said he was IN
much trouble Of mind. He was going
TO get married, and had been counting
his intended for year and half, and
she did not know but that he was en-
tirely sound. The question in his MIND
was whether to tell her before. or wall
until after marriage. l advised him t.
inform her beforehand, As otherwise
she might have legal ground to apply
for an annulment Of the marriage OF
the ground of deception. He told mi
afterward that he followed my adj
vice, and the lady concluded that sht
loved him none the less on account
Of his misfortune. Another singular
| incident, but Of different character
was in connection with the collision
of two steamers, one Of which had jus
started from this port for Europe, an,
had to put back again on account o
the damage. None Of the passenger
were injured by the accident, and ,
friend jokingly remarked in my pres
ence that would, no doubt. be great,
disappointed that there was no loss O
limb, as ! would therefore get n
revenue from the occurrence. Strangel
enough. the day following man fron
Ohio walked into my Office and sal
| that he wanted an artificial leg. H
related that he had been passenge
on the steamer which had to put bac
,, on account of the collision, havin
started from his home in Ohio to pa
i visit to Europe. When the vessel n
n turned TO port he concluded, on reaes
ton. to give up his European trip an
to expend the money he had reserve
. Tor the trip in providing himself with
t new artificial leg in place of the or
J, which he then wore. So it seems th'
the collision OF those two steamer
brought business after ALL
9 "Who supply limbs for the soldiers?
n "Thc business is distributed anon
! different manufactures, nearly, if no
J. all in the large cities of the Atlant
!, coast. No Union soldier who has 10
4, limb in the war need be without 9
n artificial one. Northern manufacture
., also supply good many artificial linn
= to Confederate veterans. on the orde
e of States of the South that have MAJ
,e provision for the MANNED of the La
Is Cause; but great many OF the Sout
p ern veterans are unprovided, for t
70 reason that the appropriations for the
II n relief are not sufficiently frequent al
or adequate
e, '.Nf private cases, do the great
". number come from the city or cou
y try?'
ed Il think the danger of city and cou
he try life arc about even. SO far rs t
artificial limb trade is an indicate
IL The moving machine 10 fair sot-oR
- the horse cars. ~. Y. Sum-
:. "A Texan ut Throckmorton breue